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typhus at 9, Stanley Terrace. The person was 66 years old.
No death either from diarrhoea or measles. There are still in the
parish eases of small pox under treatment.
W. MURDOCH.
4th February, 1856.
SECOND REPORT.
Gas Works.
Complaints having been made relative to the state of the Kings
Mills Stream at its southern extremity where it flows past the premises
of the Surrey Consumers' Gas Works before discharging itself
into the Thames, I proceeded, on the 12th February, 1856, to examine
it. At the time of my visit, the pond was about half full of
water, which was perfectly still, and completely covered with mud.
The surface of the water was here and there studded with large
patches of oily matter, but no disagreeable smell was perceptible.
On the following day, 13th February, 1856, I inspected the place
when the tide was out and the mud bare. The surface of the latter
to a considerable extent, on the western side more particularly, was
in many places marked by stains of oily and tarry fluid, three black
streamlets of tar evidently proceeding from the planking of the
western embankment to the middle of the bed of the watercourse
contrasted with the grey colour of the mud. The whole emitted a
faint and nauseous smell. I have reason to believe that this state of
things is occasioned by the leakage of the tanks or vessels containing
the tar deposited by the gas, and might be easily remedied
by constructing these vessels of proper materials and keeping them
fluid tight.
On the 20th February, 1856, about four in the afternoon, 1 visited
the premises of the Surrey Consumers' Gas Works. Mr. Hunter
the foreman accompanied me. I found neither of the nuisances
mentioned in my first report abated. The fabrication of the sulphate
of ammonia was still in full operation, and the pit receiver of the
wet lime from the purifiers still in the same state. One of the
purifiers, according to the statement of the foreman, had been
emptied about two hours before. The air in the neighbourhood of
the pit was however still strongly impregnated with sulphuretted
hydrogen.
Ditclies and Sewers.
On the 14th February I inspected the ditch opposite the China
Hall on the Deptford Lower Road. The ditch was then without
water, and in a foul state. This nuisance is in a conspicuous part of
the parish, being near a road much frequented by the inhabitants
both for business and recreation.
I beg particularly to call the attention of the Vestry to the open